The minute you see a single cockroach, you can be sure he’s brought friends. Cockroaches don’t travel alone and once they’ve found a suitable location for food, water, and shelter, they’ll multiply quickly.
There’s no sure way to keep cockroaches out, but make sure you close all taps and don’t leave containers sitting out with water. Food must be put away and sealed tightly, while crumbs must be swept up. Making sure your exits are airtight helps. Cockroaches have the ability to flatten themselves to a fraction of their normal height, meaning even a small gap is sufficient to give them access.
By the time you see a cockroach, it’s likely you already have an infestation. They’re very difficult to eradicate, and cockroaches can also attract secondary pests. They make an easy and plentiful food source for scorpions and snakes, who will settle in near cockroach infestations.
Roaches tend to only come out at night – they’ll scurry away from light sources. If you suspect a roach, look for droppings. These will look like spilled pepper. Check under the sink and in places that don’t often get light. Under the fridge appeals to roaches because of its proximity to food and water. Roaches will often hide under mats or other objects you might think wouldn’t give them enough clearance, but check these, too. Look for their carcasses. A dead roach is just like a live one – he probably has friends. Cockroaches also create a musty odor that never seems to go away.
Don’t try to take roaches out on your own. The old joke says they’d be the only thing to survive a nuclear war. That’s because they can survive without food for a month, and without heads for a week. Yes, you read that right. Call Slug-A-Bug and we can use precision measures to address your roach problem and clean your house out for good.